All Quiet on the Northern Front (5)
All Quiet on the Northern Front (5)
The news that the royal family had squeezed the rear nobles to send a massive shipment of food wagons put the 3rd Army in high spirits.
Viscount Roden, the person in charge, twitched his fine mustache with a ssilluk and spoke confidently before Hildea.
"Your Excellency, Count Balckenhardt, support of this scale will continue steadily from now on."
"Is that true?"
"That's right. The southern nobles have finally recognized the danger. His Excellency Marquis Oltain's sacrifice was not in vain."
Viscount Roden, who had been speaking with a slightly hoarse voice, finally noticed the young major standing behind Hildea.
'Who is that? The new supply officer?'
The gaze meticulously scanning the wagons was no ordinary look.
That was the characteristic strict gaze of a supply officer in charge of the supply warehouse.
Viscount Roden immediately recognized a kindred spirit.
"Viscount Roden-nim, I have a question."
"Ask away, Major."
"So, you're saying that these supply wagons will continue to come steadily from now on?"
"That's right."
Viscount Roden pounded his chest with a pang-pang and laughed heartily.
"You don't have to worry about supply shortages anymore. Those southern bastards are scared shitless because of the monster legion that's swarmed all the way to the Dwein River!"
"I see."
Piel muttered with soulless eyes.
"So these wagons will keep coming from now on..."
"That's right. Hahaha."
***
This is really driving me crazy.
Rye mixed with lots of chaff, whole barley, oats.
Fish dried haphazardly because there wasn't enough salt to salt them.
They sent a whole load of bulky garbage.
Hildea and the knights are grinning ssinggeul-bbeonggeul, saying even that is good, but my heart is troubled.
'Because of those rear noble bastards, only my workload has increased. When am I supposed to clean all this up?'
One of my positions is supply officer.
Disposing of that bulky garbage is ultimately my job.
'They should have sent gold coins or silver coins instead. At least those are shiny and pretty.'
They don't send the rank insignia I asked for, what the hell is this?
Hildea, sensing my gaze as I look around the wagons, starts to read the room.
"Major Piel? Is something bothering you?"
"Rather than sending this livestock feed, it would have been better to send the colonel rank insignia. Then our Marshall family would have sent at least an additional 2,000 tons of flour every month."
"2,000 tons of flour!"
Hildea exclaimed, stiffening rigidly.
Lord Deville also froze, then suddenly started kicking the wagon and getting angry.
"Those damn bastards sent this shitty livestock feed to torment our Major Piel with overtime! Unforgivable!"
Vice-commander Basel also apologized to me. Though I don't know why.
"Piel, I'm sorry. We didn't know any better and were just happy that our stockpiled food had increased."
These people don't get disappointed like me when bulky garbage arrives.
Because they've been defending the front lines in a chronic food shortage, they're just happy as long as it's edible.
"Commander Hildea-nim, then may I dispose of these as I see fit?"
"Of course. You are the supply officer of our 3rd Army. Do as you please."
The line of wagons seems endless. They really sent an incredible amount.
Considering that each and every loaded box has storage warehouse magic cast on it, they really sent a tremendous quantity.
"Corporal Baren."
"Yes, Major-nim."
"Don't unload the cargo. We're moving out immediately."
I can't pile up that kind of livestock feed in my sacred supply warehouse.
At first, I thought about selling it to the Barcos Merchantry that regularly visits the north, but...
'No matter how secretly I dispose of it, with this amount, rumors will inevitably spread that I'm embezzling and selling food in the north.'
It's only livestock feed in my eyes; to the people of this northern territory, that is also precious food.
***
The territory resident Hanson waited with faith.
'There is no flour right now. It will arrive soon, and then I will compensate you for the looted flour.'
In the north, the relationship between nobles and commoners is closer than in other regions.
A corrupt and wicked noble can never survive in the north.
And the faith of Hanson and the territory residents was rewarded.
"Flour! It's flour!"
"Major-nim! Thank you!"
"Now, now, everyone line up and receive your rations."
Piel came to the territory with a truly enormous amount of flour.
That wasn't all.
"Bring all the ordinary territory residents."
"Understood."
The territory residents, who had rushed over hoping to get something, were moved by Piel's instruction as he pointed to the endless line of wagons.
"Count Hildea has graciously saved up frontline supplies to distribute this food free of charge! Take it with a grateful heart!"
"M-My Lord. Do we have to pay it back in the fall?"
"It's free. We won't even record who took how much, so take the fixed amount per person! If anyone deceives and receives extra rations, they will be punished by military law!"
It was only livestock feed in Piel's eyes, but to the always hungry territory residents, it was precious food.
Everyone was overjoyed and lined up in an orderly fashion to receive the southern rye, whole barley, oats, dried fish, and so on.
***
After that, fortunately, there were no additional attacks from the elf legion.
'Did they get scared after seeing the mortar barrage at the Baltics River?'
Blowing away the corrupted water stump with a 6.5-ton TNT equivalent explosive bag.
Annihilating the crossing of the 2,000-strong Ancient Tree Legion with a mortar barrage.
If they have any brains, they'll be cautious about their next attack.
The problem is the 2,800-strong Ancient Tree Monster legion that stopped its southward advance, blocked by the Dwein River.
Because of that, Rebecca has been under tremendous stress lately.
"Piel, if those bastards cross the Baltics River and move east, your hometown will be attacked immediately."
"Carlton Marquis! How is Your Excellency's territory Piel's hometown!"
"Oh my, Piel has decided to put down roots in the Carlton Marquis territory once his mandatory service ends, you know? Right?"
My retort of 'Since when did I do that?' was completely swallowed up by the massive jiggling swaying before my eyes.
"Major Piel, you will naturally settle down in my territory, won't you?"
Hildea grabbed my shoulders and shook me frantically.
Without realizing it, I ended up looking at Hildea's flat chest as if comparing.
"Major Piel? That gaze of yours right now, something's unsettling? You wouldn't possibly be planning to settle down in the Carlton Marquis territory after discharge, would you?"
"Commander-in-Chief, stop tormenting Piel."
My first impression was of a dignified Sword Master Commander-in-Chief.
But after sleeping together in a sleeping bag and eating meals together every day, sometimes Hildea feels like a little sister.
'The heavens are unfair.'
To Rebecca, they gave everything.
To Hildea, they didn't give just one thing: a chest.
Come to think of it, was Rebecca's territory more than 20 times larger than Hildea's?
'Since she was a commoner who became a noble and was granted a direct-controlled territory as her domain, it can't be helped.'
"Commander Rebecca-nim, don't worry too much. If those Ancient Tree bastards cross the Baltics River, I will dispose of them even if I have to use the mortar magical devices."
Then Hildea growled at Rebecca.
"Carlton Marquis, don't forget that each explosive shell costs 250kg of flour."
"Of course I intend to compensate you. But did our Commander-in-Chief ever compensate you for last time?"
"Th-that's...."
"Oh my, Piel emptied out those expensive magical devices for the sake of the territory residents who make their living on the Baltics River, and you're telling me she still hasn't given any compensation?"
Hildea's gaze wavered mercilessly.
I figured it was time to stop teasing our poor countess.
"By the way, what does the capital intend to do about the Ancient Tree Legion stopped at the Dwein River bank?"
Hildea collected herself and answered coldly.
"As it happens, there was a secret proposal from the southern nobles."
"Are they asking us to handle it?"
"That's right. Because we subjugated those bastards at the Baltics River, they're inwardly hoping we'll step up."
Rebecca spoke cynically.
"We have no such obligation. We're already struggling just to block the border zone."
"Even now, the western Ainshuvan region is empty. Emptying the eastern region as well makes no sense."
I, too, lament the annihilation of Marquis Oltain's territory.
Thanks to that sacrifice, the southerners seem to have regained some sense, but....
'People don't change.'
"Oh, Major Piel. I have good news."
"Could it be a promotion?"
"That's right."
For once, Hildea smiled brightly and prettily as she tapped my shoulder.
"Originally, regulations state that only knights can be promoted to field-grade officer rank...."
That's why I'm still an 'acting' major.
Because it's acting, I still haven't been able to check the supplies that unlock at lieutenant colonel.
"It's been decided that you'll skip the knight exam and be granted a knighthood directly. And you will be promoted to full lieutenant colonel."
"Thank you."
"Congratulations, Piel. At this rate, you'll have stars on your shoulders in no time?"
"Thank you, Commander Rebecca-nim."
Rebecca sat beside me, brushing against my shoulder with a sly smile.
"So, what do you think? Shall we have a celebratory party in advance tonight?"
"Carlton Marquis, do not make unreasonable demands of my duty officer based on your position."
"Hm? So the Commander-in-Chief doesn't want any whiskey?"
"Wh-whiskey...."
Hildea's eyes wavered, and her throat bobbed as if swallowing drool.
I chuckled softly.
"So you've been craving whiskey."
"It's so delicious, I think of that taste every single night."
"I have plenty of Valentine 17-Year to serve both commanders. The Marshall family paid special attention to that point."
"Truly?"
"Oh, really?"
I think I understand how grandmothers feel when they stuff their grandchildren to bursting.
The thrill of filling these two women's insides with what's mine is deeply addictive.
"Alright. Then tonight, a whiskey party...."
"Can we eat smoked duck too? And raisins?"
"Almonds! Could we have almonds again?"
"Don't worry."
I showed them a magnanimous smile.
With my promotion confirmed, my heart feels utterly at ease.
"I shall ensure you eat and drink to your heart's content until your stomachs burst."
"Thank you!"
Rebecca grinned and draped her arm over my shoulder, and in doing so, a massive heaving wrapped around my forearm.
'So large....'
In the moment I spaced out without realizing it, from the other side, Hildea tapped my cheek.
Her gaze seemed somewhat sulky.
"Piel, driving a stake into the Carlton Marquis territory is absolutely not allowed."
"Commander-in-Chief, considering size and abundance, isn't my side the obvious choice?"
"Wh-what does that mean! Size, you say!"
"I was talking about the size of the territory? Commander-in-Chief, don't tell me you were thinking something else?"
"Carlton Marquis-nim!"
Here they go again.
I can't tell if those two are on bad terms or good terms.
I had just slipped away from the two commanders when a messenger urgently arrived.
Both commanders also stopped their bickering.
"Commander-in-Chief-nim! Approximately 300 stragglers from the 2nd Army have arrived!"
"2nd Army stragglers?"
Hildea also sprang up in surprise.
I was caught off guard too.
To think that some of the 2nd Army stragglers who had preemptively emptied their barracks and fled would come here.
Why? And only now?
"It seems they came after hearing rumors that a large quantity of supply provisions was sent from the rear!"
Hildea gave the order with an animated face.
"Bring them all in at once!"
"Yes!"
Moments later, about 300 stragglers arrived in front of the official residence.
I was greatly shocked by their appearance, which resembled malnutrition patients on the verge of death from a great famine.
'It hasn't been that long since the 2nd Army was attacked. No matter how hard it was to find food, can people lose flesh that fast?'
The thought suddenly occurred to me that muscle is a luxury organ in the human body.
Through their forms, I keenly felt that mana muscle is even more so.
"Who is in charge?"
"Colonel Renbolk! I am the highest-ranking officer!"
"When we went to provide support, the 2nd Army barracks were completely empty. What on earth happened?"
"The commander, who had gone out to hunt wild bison, was killed in action right then, and the messenger who arrived at the barracks delivered the final order. To abandon everything and empty the barracks immediately, otherwise it would be annihilation...."
"What about the forces the 2nd Army commander was leading? The troops that remained in the barracks at that time?"
"Out of a total of 30,550 soldiers, 29,500 were left in the barracks."
"What about the rest of the personnel?"
"I'm sorry. I do not know either."
Every time they spoke, they were out of breath as if about to collapse.
The appearance of the knights and soldiers, their skin clinging to their bones, was beyond words.
Hildea was about to ask more, but I stopped her.
"Commander Hildea-nim, let's feed them first and then talk."
"Ah, right."
I sent an order to the cookhouse to prepare a meal immediately.
The starving stragglers ate the corn soup, tears streaming down their faces.
"Commander Hildea-nim, if only we could gather all the 2nd Army stragglers, we could rebuild the defensive line on the western front."
"Major Piel, this commander was thinking the same thing. But can we manage the supply?"
"Feeding a mere 29,500 more mouths is nothing."
Right now, the 1st and 2nd Army fronts are empty.
The 1st Army was annihilated, but it appears most of the 2nd Army's forces escaped and are safe for now.
If we could gather that force intact?
It becomes advantageous in the long run.
Especially for me.
'If Hildea later becomes the Commander-in-Chief of Ainshuvan, she could make me a corps commander.'
To be promoted high, I have to keep expanding the size of my unit.
Three hundred knights and soldiers, eating while crying.
To me, they look like future budget and subordinates.
"Commander-nim! More 2nd Army stragglers have come flooding in! 505 of them!"
"Another 250 have come!"
I feel a sense of reward for suppressing my desire for expensive weapons and saving my budget.
"Commander Hildea-nim, it seems I'll have to set up a field cookhouse on the training grounds."
"Regarding food distribution, your authority exceeds mine. Henceforth, don't bother asking me about such things one by one, just use your own judgment."
That day, a total of 2,500 stragglers arrived.
Without exception, they said they had seen from afar the massive wagon train Viscount Roden led and came seeking it out.
'Even bulky trash turned out to be this helpful.'